The inventive subject matter disclosed herein, which encompasses various embodiments and permutations of inventive features, generally relates to tamper-resistant closure assemblies for storing cigarettes and the like.
Generally speaking, a cigarette is a cylinder of thin paper or herbaceous leaf filled with finely cut herbaceous material for smoking. When used, a distal end of the cigarette is ignited causing the finely cut herbaceous material to smolder. Smoke from the smoldering herbaceous material can be ingested by a user, as by inhaling smoke through the user's mouth from an opposed proximal end (sometimes referred to as a “suction-end”). In some instances, a cigarette holder may also be used to retain, or hold, the suction end for use. Some modern, manufactured cigarettes include a filter positioned proximally of the herbaceous fill material as to remove one or more products of combustion from the smoke before ingestion by a user. Examples of herbaceous fill material include, without limitation, leaves and/or flowers of a variety of plants, for example, blue lotus, sage, damiana, mullein, catnip, tobacco, cloves, etc. The cigarettes can also contain mixtures of different herbs.
Cigarettes may be hand-rolled by the user with rolling papers, or they may be machine-rolled. A cigarette can vary in size, e.g., super slim size (about 120 mm in length and about 4.8 mm in diameter), standard or demi slim size (about 84 mm in length and about 5.2 mm in diameter), or king size (about 84 mm in length and about 7.9 mm in diameter).
Despite the common use of cigarettes, there has been a lack of a safe, effective, and convenient way for the storage of new or partially consumed cigarettes. For example, many cigarette containers are not child-safe such that a child may incidentally open the container and suffers an adverse reaction to the consumption of cigarette. Many cigarette containers are not tightly sealed. Accordingly, the odor of the cigarette may escape the container, and the moisture can also get into or escape from the container, affecting the moisture content and freshness of the cigarette, and compromising its taste and effects. Moreover, for most cigarette containers, the stored cigarettes are loosely packed and not secured. Accordingly, when a person carries such a container in travel or accidentally drops the container on the floor, the stored cigarettes may dangle inside or hit the walls of the container, causing the cigarettes to disintegrate. Further, currently there is no effective solutions for the storage of partially consumed cigarettes. In addition, most cigarette containers are not designed for user convenience. For example, a user cannot use it as a temporarily holder for a partially consumed cigarette when he temporarily pauses smoking. Or a user may not find other accessories necessary for smoking such as a lighter, a rolling paper, a grinder, etc.
Thus, there is a need for improved containers that address these problems.